Smith catches a controversy
Aussie all-rounder completes catch to dismiss Alam after changing position midway through delivery
ABU DHABI: Australia’s victory over Pakistan was secured when Glenn Maxwell bowled a doublewicket maiden in the final over of the match to dismiss the hosts for 230 in response to Australia’s 231 for nine.
Even more remarkable than Maxwell’s over, though, was Steve Smith’s controversial catch to dismiss Fawad Alam, which Warner said was result of quick thinking and a thorough knowledge of the new rules.
Spotting Alam dropping his knee to lap sweep spinner Xavier Doherty, Smith raced from first slip towards the leg side before the ball had reached the batsman and took an easy catch off a top edge.
Alam stood his ground as the umpires conferred before heading reluctantly back to the dressing room after they confirmed the rule about the movement of close fielders had been recently amended.
“They changed the rule to when the bowler lets go of the ball and when you see the batsman do that, you can move,” Warner said.
“So when you look at the replay, he didn’t move until the bowler let go of the ball, and that’s just great cricket awareness.
“He actually said to (wicketkeeper) Brad Haddin: ‘He’s going to try and lap here, one of these balls, and I’m going to try and stop it’.
“And that ball, it actually happened, so it was a bit of a freak thing.”
Had the catch taken place before this series, chances are it would have been given not out as the original rules stated that any significant movement by any fielder after the ball comes into play, and before the ball reaches the striker, is unfair.
However, a recent amendment, which is yet to be fully enshrined in cricket law books but is in the ‘Match Officials Almanac’ for 2014-15, has a different interpretation of the issue.
The updated law states that a fielder is entitled to move before the ball reaches the batsman as long as it’s in response to the shot the batsman is shaping to play.